Expeditions colombia andes and caribbean coast birding tour

Arrive at any time. We will pick you up at the airport and drive you to your hotel in Bogota. Depending on the traffic, the drive from the airport takes around 30-45 minutes.

Bogotá, the largest city in Colombia, is located in the Andes at 2,640 meters above sea level, and due to this high altitude, its weather is like spring year-round, with chilly mornings and warm afternoons. 

This cosmopolitan city uniquely blends colonial architecture and modern skyscrapers, offering an interesting variety of cultural activities like museums,  art galleries, and theatres. Bogotá is also home to various natural areas that provide great opportunities for birding, hiking, and outdoor adventures, making it a perfect destination for the adventurous traveller.

Overnight: Bogota
Meal Plan: None

We will visit La Florida Regional Park very early in the morning to start our first birding experience in Colombia. La Florida is a wetland in the western area of Bogota, where you will have the opportunity to see some of the special endemic bird species found in this area, such as the Bogotá Rail, Apolinar's Wren and Noble Snipe.

After visiting La Florida, we will take you back to the city to see the most iconic places in Bogota's historic centre. We will visit the world's largest collection of pre-Hispanic gold at the Gold Museum and check out the artistic work of Fernando Botero, Colombia's most famous painter and sculptor, at the Museo Botero. We will glimpse the diversity of architectural styles on display in the historic neighbourhood of La Candelaria and capture spectacular panoramic views of the city from the top of Cerro de Monserrate.

Overnight: Bogota
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch

We will pick you up early in the morning from your hotel and head towards Chingaza Natural Park, an Important Bird Area about 2 hours outside Bogota. This stunning natural park is known for its diverse ecosystems like páramo, cloud forests, and high-altitude lakes, providing a habitat for a wide variety of flora and fauna. The iconic frailejón plant, unique to the páramo, thrives here, along with spectacled bears, white-tailed deer, Andean condors, and over 200 bird species. We will spend about 4 hours in the park's surrounding areas to see endemic species, such as the Silvery-throated Spinetail.  You may also have the chance to see the Coppery-bellied Puffleg, Glowing Puffleg, Longuemare´s Sunangel, Bronze-tailed Thornbill, Mountain Velvetbreast, Blue-throated Starfrontlet, Sword-billed hummingbird, Tyrian Metaltail, and Great sapphirewing amongst many more.

Then, we will visit a hummingbird observatory in La Calera that attracts over 20 species, including the stunning Long-tailed Sylph, Sword-billed Hummingbird, and Andean Emerald. We will watch these colourful creatures flit around the garden and the feeders, which offers good photography opportunities. We will take you back to the hotel at the end of this tour.

Overnight: Bogota
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch

You cannot leave the city without visiting one of its main highlights: the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira. This cathedral, located 50 km north of Bogota and built inside the caves of an old salt mine, is a true testimony to the miners' faith in a higher power and one of the most notable achievements of Colombian architecture.

We will spend about 1.5 to 2 hours exploring the Salt Cathedral. Our visit will begin with a walk through the Stations of the Cross, moving from the entrance to the main dome. At each station, you will see symbolic representations of events from Jesus Christ’s last journey before his crucifixion. The tour culminates in the main dome and the three naves of the cathedral, interconnected by a giant crack symbolising Christ’s birth and death.

After exploring the cathedral, we’ll visit a local workshop where you’ll learn to carve a salt stone. Under the guidance of a skilled local artist with over 20 years of experience, you’ll craft your own souvenir and gain insight into the intricate work required to create the sculptures inside the Cathedral and the handicrafts made by local artisans.

After this enriching experience, we will enjoy lunch before returning to Bogotá for your flight to Pereira. Upon arrival in Pereira, we will go to Rio Blanco Reserve.

Overnight: Rio Blanco Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We will spend the day exploring the Rio Blanco Nature Reserve, a renowned conservation site and IBA already recognised as one of the best birding sites in Colombia. The reserve protects crucial cloud forest and paramo ecosystems, where more than 350 species of bird have been recorded, including the endemic Brown-banded Antpitta and the near-endemic Bicoloured Antpitta. Additionally, we may encounter five species of Tapaculo, such as the Ash-coloured Tapaculo and the Ocellated Tapaculo.

In addition to birdlife, the reserve is home to a variety of wildlife, such as armadillos, spectacled bears, and butterflies. It is also an important watershed that provides water to the city of Manizales. The reserve has various trails and feeders where we can spend the day birding.  

Overnight: Rio Blanco Lodge
Meal Plan:  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We will spend the morning birding at Río Blanco before going to Otun Quimbaya Flora and Fauna Sanctuary.  

Otun Quimbaya is a national protected area covering 1,208 acres of Andean cloud forest between 5,741 and 7,382 feet above sea level. The sanctuary is part of the larger Otún River watershed, which makes it an important place where more than 300 bird species have been spotted, including the Torrent Duck, Cauca Guan, Wattled Guan, and the Chesnut Wood-Quail. We will spend the late afternoon birding here.

Overnight: Casa Kumanday
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We will spend the morning birding in Otun Quimbaya. We will be hiking along its well-maintained network of hiking trails and around the main road that goes through the natural park, which is also a very good area for birding. After our birding adventure, we’ll visit a coffee plantation to explore the coffee-making process, from bean planting to picking and roasting. 

We will return to the hotel at the end of this visit.

Overnight: Casa Kumanday
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

You will spend the morning birdwatching in other areas of the stunning Otún Quimbaya Flora and Fauna Sanctuary. Then, we will go to the airport for a flight to Santa Marta, the oldest colonial city in South America.

Upon arrival in Santa Marta, your tour guide will meet you at the airport and transfer you to the hotel.

Overnight: Santa Marta
Meal Plan: Breakfast

We will spend the morning exploring Santa Marta, the oldest colonial city in South America. We will visit the city's main historic places, which include its vibrant markets and plazas. Then, visit the Quinta the San Pedro Alejandrino, the house where Simon Bolivar died in December 1830. Bolivar was the commander-in-chief of the patriot army, who liberated the countries of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Panama from Spanish rule. Enjoy a walk along the picturesque waterfront, where the mountains meet the Caribbean Sea.

Then, we will go to El Dorado Nature Reserves. This reserve, located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, is known as the reserve with the highest concentration of endemic birds in South America. It covers 1,729 acres of cloud forest between 2,952 and 8,530 feet above sea level. It is home to more than 400 bird species, among them the White-tailed Startfrontlet, Santa Marta Sabrewing, Santa Marta Woodstar, and Santa Marta Antpitta.

Overnight: El Dorado Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We will start the day birding at La Cuchilla de San Lorenzo, a small mountain ridge separated from the main Santa Marta mountain by a deep valley. Its highest point is 2,700 metres, which is high enough to find most of the endemic bird species in the area, such as the Santa Marta brush-finch, Santa Marta mountain-tanager, and Santa Marta parakeet, among others. We will spend the morning there and then come back to the lodge for lunch.

In the afternoon, we will keep birding along other trails in the reserve.

Overnight: El Dorado Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Early in the morning, we will have the last chance to birdwatch at El Dorado before embarking on our journey to Cartagena. En route to Cartagena, we’ll visit Isla Salamanca, a natural park renowned for its extensive wetlands, lagoons and mangroves. At Isla Salamanca, we’ll seek out local bird species such as the Chestnut-winged Chachalaca, Sapphire-bellied Hummingbird, Chestnut Piculet, and Bicolored Conebill. After exploring the park, we will continue towards Cartagena.

Upon arrival in Cartagena, we will go to the hotel.

Overnight: Cartagena
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch

Early in morning, we will go to La Boquilla, a small fishing village located 7 km north of Cartagena. At La Boquilla, we will take a trip in a wooden canoe across the mangroves in La Cienga de Tesca. During this trip, we will be able to see native and migratory birds and learn about the flora and other fauna found in this ecosystem. 

Then, we will have a city tour that covers the Convento de la Popa, the Castillo de San Felipe, and the old city. The old city is surrounded by impressive walls built during Spanish rule to protect it against enemies and looters.

The Castle of San Felipe is the greatest and strongest fortress ever built by the Spaniards in their colonies. It was built at the end of the XVI century to defend the city. Its construction began on September 8 of, 1614, after the attack of the legendary Sir Francis Drake by order of King Philip III. It is the most preserved and complete fortification in South America and one of the best-walled cities in the world. It is a World Cultural Heritage Site and an invaluable treasure that has resisted the attacks of invaders, time and nature.

The old city is Cartagena's historic heart and soul. We will walk its cobbled streets, visiting and passing by the main historical sites. 

Overnight: Cartagena
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch

You have the day to carry on exploring Cartagena on your own. You can wander around the cobbled streets in the historic city, visit some colonial churches, go to Getsemaní to see its colourful graffiti, and enjoy a great meal at any of the city's excellent and diverse restaurants. 

Overnight: Cartagena
Meal Plan: Breakfast

Your adventure in Colombia ends today. At the time required, we will transfer  you to the airport.

Overnight:
Meal Plan: Breakfast